Analysis of the Lived Experiences of Adolescent Girls After Parental Divorce

Soltaninejad , Mohaddeseh; Fallah Yakhdani , Mohammad Hossein; Vaziri, Saeed; Dehghan Manshadi , Marieh

Volume 15 - Articles-1404 MEJDS (2025) 15: 106 | Back to browse issues page

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Soltaninejad M, Fallah Yakhdani M H, Vaziri S, Dehghan Manshadi M. Analysis of the Lived Experiences of Adolescent Girls After Parental Divorce. MEJDS 2025; 15 (0) :106-106
URL: http://jdisabilstud.org/article-1-3677-en.html

Analysis of the Lived Experiences of Adolescent Girls After Parental Divorce

Mohaddeseh Soltaninejad¹

, Mohammad Hossein Fallah Yakhdani ^*²

, Saeed Vaziri³

, Marieh Dehghan Manshadi⁴

1- PhD Student in Counseling, Department of Psychology and Counseling, Ya. C., Islamic Azad University, Yazd, Iran
2- Associate Professor, Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ya. C., Islamic Azad University, Yazd, Iran
3- Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ya. C., Islamic Azad University, Yazd, Iran
4- Assistant Professor, Department of Counseling, Ya. C., Islamic Azad University, Yazd, Iran

Abstract: (276 Views)

Abstract
Background & Objectives: Divorce is one of the most significant structural changes in the family, with profound consequences across various aspects of children's lives. Adolescent girls, due to their unique developmental characteristics, are particularly vulnerable to the outcomes of parental divorce. Studies have shown that the effects of divorce on adolescents, especially girls, can be extensive and impactful. However, a deeper understanding of these consequences requires listening to the adolescents' own voices and examining their lived experiences. This study aimed to provide a more authentic portrayal of life after divorce through the personal narratives of adolescent girls. The majority of previous research has focused on general variables such as depression, anxiety, or academic decline. The subtle and significant dimensions of adolescents' lives in divorced families have received less attention. Identifying these lived experiences can facilitate the development of effective supportive interventions to mitigate the negative impacts of divorce. Accordingly, the present study employed a phenomenological approach to represent the reality of divorce through the voices and lived experiences of adolescent girls. The objective was to explore the lived experiences of adolescent girls from divorced families in Yazd City, Iran.
Methods: This qualitative study employed a descriptive–phenomenological approach. The study population included adolescent girls with parental divorce experience in Yazd, selected through purposive sampling. Data saturation was achieved with 16 participants. The criteria for participants to enter the study were as follows: at least 3 years since parental divorce; between 13 and 15 years of age; a junior high school student; and willing to participate in the study. The criteria for participants to leave the study included unwillingness to continue participating. A semi–structured interview was used to collect data. The interviews were conducted in the school counseling room. The interviews lasted approximately 30 to 50 minutes. To conduct the interviews, the main research question and several general questions were first posed, and while answering these questions, new questions were generated and asked. The adolescents were selected from among the children of school divorces. After explaining the objectives of the study and obtaining their written consent, the interviews were conducted with privacy and confidentiality in mind. Data were collected through semi–structured interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi's 7–step method. To ensure the study's trustworthiness, four criteria were applied: credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability.
Results: The interview analysis yielded 20 concepts, 8 subthemes, and 3 main themes. Findings indicated that adolescent girls from divorced families face multiple challenges in 3 primary domains: intrapersonal (cognitive, emotional, and behavioral), interpersonal (relationships with parents, relatives, and peers), and economic (financial difficulties, employment). Cognitive challenges included identity confusion, low self–confidence and self–esteem, and rumination. Emotional challenges comprised feelings of shame, guilt, resentment, loneliness, and emotional emptiness. Behavioral challenges involved engaging in relationships with the opposite sex and assuming parental roles. Challenges related to parents included confusion due to parental conflicts, insufficient attention to children's futures, and reduced parental supervision. Relatives–related challenges involved interference from close relatives and loss of some social bonds. Peer–related challenges included difficulties in forming stable friendships. Economic challenges encompassed a lack of financial support, work pressures on adolescents, and out–of–home employment. These findings, consistent with previous studies, provide a deeper understanding of the multidimensional consequences of divorce for adolescent girls. The study extensively explored the experiences and challenges of girls with divorced parents. It is recommended that future research focus specifically on each of these challenges and develop tailored supportive intervention packages.
Conclusion: According to the findings, adolescent girls who experience parental divorce face multiple challenges across 3 main domains: intrapersonal, interpersonal, and economic. These challenges lead to a deeper understanding of the multidimensional consequences of divorce in adolescent girls; also, recognition and awareness of the aforementioned challenges can facilitate intervention and empowerment of this vulnerable group.

Keywords: Parental divorce, Lived experience, Adolescents, Qualitative research

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Type of Study: Original Research Article | Subject: Counseling

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